Sewing & Setting in Sleeves // Blanca Sewalong

In this post we will show you how to assemble and set in the sleeves for your Blanca Flight Suit. You’re almost at the finish line!

VIEW A – LONG SLEEVES

View A features a two-piece sleeve with a unique snap feature that tapers the sleeve hem. The snap placement markings are indicated on the pattern piece for the back sleeve (J). I’ve marked these with thread tacks.

The snaps are optional, so if you’d like to skip this step feel free. That said, the sleeve is a bit wider at the hem then typical sleeves, so you may not like the proportion without snaps. In that case, feel free to take in the seams to narrow the sleeve, or wear it rolled up a few times (our preference!)

Right sides together, pin front and back sleeve (I & J) along the straight seam.

Sew front and back sleeve together at 5/8″ (16mm). Finish the seam and press towards the back sleeve.

Sew a line of topstitching 1/4″ (6mm) along this seam to secure the seam allowance in place. This seam matches up at the shoulder topstitching, so confirm everything will matches up first and adjust if necessary.

Right sides together, match the front and back sleeve along the underarm seam. Sew at 5/8″ (16mm). Finish the seam and press towards the back.

Sew two rows of basting stitches in between the notches on front and back sleeve. I sewed one row at 1/4″ (6mm) and a second row at 1/2″ (13mm). Gently pull on the basting stitches to gather the sleeve head. There isn’t much ease built into the sleeve cap so you can ease the sleeve in without basting.

At this point, the flight suit is an unwieldy beast of a garment, with legs and soon-to-be arms everywhere! I hemmed my sleeves before setting them in, but you may need to wait until they are sewn in so you can confirm they are the correct length. To hem the sleeves, press the raw edge under by 1/2″ (13mm). Press the hem of the sleeve ender again by 1″ (25mm). Topstitch in place. Notice the markings for the sleeve hem snaps are centered in between the edge of the sleeve hem and the topstitching.

VIEW B – SHORT SLEEVES

If you are sewing the short sleeves for View B, your sleeves are in one piece. Sew the underarm seam at 5/8″ (16mm). Finish the seam and press to the back. The hem allowances are the same as for the long sleeve. Press the raw edge under by 1/2″ (13mm), and again by 1″ (25mm). The finished length of the sleeve should hit just above the elbow. If you’d like it shorter, feel free to cut the sleeves down, but we like the option of wearing them above the elbow or rolled up.

SETTING IN SLEEVES

Right sides together, match the sleeve to the sleeve opening. The double notches indicate the back so make sure you’re putting the sleeves in the right armscye! Pull on the basting stitches to gather the sleevehead so it matches the armscye fo the flight suit. You shouldn’t have to ease it in by too much. Hand basting the sleeve in place allows for the most control. If you are pinning the sleeve in place, we do recommend machine basting the sleeve to confirm it’s set in properly with no puckers before stitching it permanently.

Sew the sleeve to the opening at 5/8″ (16mm) using a regular stitch length. Finish the seam and press it towards the sleeve. If you are sewing the long sleeves for View A, the topstitching along the shoulder should line up with the topstitching on the back of the sleeve.

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Hi! I'm Heather Lou, a pattern designer and sewing educator for the modern maker. At Closet Case Patterns, we transform your imagination into step-by-step implementation that helps you create a wardrobe you love - not one you're limited to buying off the rack.

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